At first blush I was dismissive of the underlying assertion (assumption?) being made. After all, there isn't any evidence to suggest that the organization has grown disproportionately circa 2000.
In fact in many Western branch territories and especially with the English language congregations, if anything the percentage of increase has slowed or even reversed in the past decade. Any real growth seems to be occuring in relatively virgin territory like Eurasia and among non-English language populations.
Additionally, it should be noted that pre-2000 there weren't any "hard" statements regarding biblical events and the turning of the Millenium.
Having said all of that, I think it is very clear from examining any literature of any given period of the Society that the "expectations" for the onset of Armageddon was that it would be "near".
There are of course a few well-known statements that were published that specifically created the expectation that the A would occur pre-2000. And no I am not referring to the 1975 fiasco but actually to others that were highly suggestive if not merely careless in their wording.
I think during the 1980s the latest height was reached, especially with the increasing tension between the King of the North (Communism) and the King of the South (Democratic countries led by the Anglo-American WP) (under then JW understanding). After the fall of communism beginning in 1989/90 this created a decade of theological uncertainty within the organization and so there wasn't enough "fuel" to feed any real millenniumnism.
There may have been a slight bubble of enthusiasm right at 2000 but I think this is more attributable to the general poplace's enthusiasm, the Y2K scare, etc. than to any real end-time expectations on the part of the friends.
We are only 3 years out on this as-yet-to-be-named-generation of the new Millenium (going from 2000 not 2001-the real Millenium start) and my general sense within the organization is one of DRIFT and sagging motivational power of the same tired messages and techniques. The Society is desparately trying to reinvent and rehabilitate things now, like the reworking of the Ministry School but essentially we have entered the final tunnel for the old organization.
The organization's future lies in its complete and total abandonment of the "publishing-company" model and its embracing its future role as a true religion.
There will be certain key triggering events and doctrinal changes over the next 20 years that will help it make this metamorphasis.
Among these will be the eventual death/decreasing of the number of the anointed prior to the advent of Armageddon in conflict with current JW understanding. This will be the last biological end-time prediction limitation to be abandoned and with its abandoment the stage will be set to reevaluate and ultimately reject the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" Doctrine.
By the time we reach the centennial anniversary of 1914 we will be well on the way or have already began to modify the FDS doctrine with its complete abandoment occuring in my estimation by the year 2021.
Much prior to that we will have already significantly modified if not abandoned the Blood Ban, relaxed significantly the DF'ng procedures (in terms of how we treat DF'd ones), and allow women to serve in non-teaching "ministerial" roles including holding key positions within the organizational hierarchy.
By 2030 or sooner we will have completely abandoned 1914 as being a date of any special significance.
Replacing the whole Gentile Times/1914 Doctrine will be a more fluid understanding of the Last Days and a general belief that we are in the end-time.
At that point we will reach our future. The understanding that Christianity is a way of life and while JW Christians will still be significantly different than other christians, (most notably by not holding doctrines such as the Trinity, Immortal Soul, Hell/all go to Heaven, use of idols in worship, etc.) JW Christians will be more focused on a particular way of living including a general obligation to discuss the Bible and JW Christian living/way of life with others, but will have completely abandoned the trademarked behaviours of house-to-house ministry and dissemination of literature.
This is the future.
--Eduardo
